


Cursed Collars and Imaginary Crowns

by Onasariel



Series: Collars and Crowns [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Abuse, Age Difference, Altered Mental States, Alternate Universe - Dark, BAMF Merlin, BAMF Morgana, Blackmail, Bondage, Cock Cages, Cock Rings, Dark, Dark Arthur, Dehumanization, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Forced Orgasm, Forced Relationship, Genital Torture, Humiliation, Immortal Merlin, M/M, Master/Slave, Medical Experimentation, Medical Inaccuracies, Medical Torture, Mental Anguish, Mental Instability, Murder, Non-Consensual Bondage, Physical Abuse, Psychological Torture, Psychological Trauma, Public Humiliation, Reincarnation, Rough Sex, Sex Toys, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Slavery, Slavery, Torture, Verbal Abuse, Verbal Humiliation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-01-26 23:09:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12568240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onasariel/pseuds/Onasariel
Summary: Merlin has been waiting for the return of his Once and Future Queen. When Gwaine brings back information that people have been disappearing, Merlin thinks nothing of it until he learns that the victims have all been sorcerers. Even worse, a few of the victims are familiar faces, and with the fact that Uther and Arthur Pendragon have returned, Merlin begins to worry. Is it time for Morgana to return? It was said she would return when Albion's need was greatest...-DROPPED-





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So I probably won't get into writing the rest of this until mid-November(maybe earlier) but for the final installment of the Collars and Crowns series, we're going back to a multi-chapter story! The muse just really hit me for the prologue, and I wanted to write it, so here's some teasing. There will be a happy ending eventually, buuuut of course there's gotta be some suffering to get there. Since it's modern day, I get to play around with other things that wouldn't have been available back in medieval times, as well as mental stuff. This should be an interesting writing challenge!

_Six months earlier_

Uther Pendragon looked out the window as his car pulled up to a quaint farmhouse on the edge of town. No one would be expecting him, or what he was about to do. He nodded to his men and got out of the car, heading for the door. They had their own mission, and they would not fail him.

He may not be a King in this life, but he was still a fairly wealthy man. He had nearly everything he could desire: money, power, his beautiful Ygraine, and his talented Arthur. There was only one thing missing: his beloved pet. 

There had been years where he had believed that Balinor was dead and gone. Uther mourned that the dragonlord hadn’t been reincarnated like his wife and son. It was so unfair! 

Ygraine had been upset when she realized that Uther wanted to enslave their past friend once more. She wanted to divorce him, because ‘he was not the Uther she thought he was’. Supposedly the woman’s reasons for coming back to him despite her memories, was that this was a new life. She foolishly believed that Uther was a changed man. According to her they didn’t need to travel on the paths they did before. They could do whatever they wished. Their memories were just that: memories.

Uther had made an attempt at such a thing, but it didn’t feel right. It couldn’t be true. They were not new people with only memories of their past life. They were given those memories so they could live it all again. They just needed to change a few things so they could get what they needed. They were blessed. Ygraine didn’t see it that way. She had tried to run.

He locked her up. 

Despite this, she continued to attempt escape. They only stopped when she fell pregnant. Uther was overjoyed. They were truly blessed, she was fertile now! Ygraine locked herself away from her husband, insisting that she would raise the baby properly. Uther let her believe it. They were living their life all over again, the baby was sure to be a boy that he would name Arthur. 

Arthur had a wonderful destiny. He would take over Uther’s business and continue what his father had started. He had been delighted when his son was born. Ygraine had been happy, believing she would be able to raise Arthur the way she wanted. She believed he wouldn’t be like his father. Oh, she was so wrong. 

Uther taught the boy everything. As Arthur began to remember the memories of his past life, he took him away from Ygraine. She would poison his mind. He needed to grow into his memories properly. 

Ygraine’s heart had broken once more. She begged Uther to let her see their son. It was only when she vowed to not interfere with his lessons that Uther allowed them to be together once more. 

Unlike his mother, Arthur was free to roam the Pendragon compound; something he did very often. Uther was proud of him as he grew into a proud young man. He shared his father’s interest in science, and often taunted and tested on his ‘subjects’. It’s not like they were truly human anyways.

They were all sorcerers. Apparently magic had not died out.

\---

Uther reached out and rang the doorbell. It had been easy to find this house. 

On the outside, he was a model citizen. The CEO of a medical equipment manufacturer. They produced lifesaving equipment that was used in hospitals nationwide. As far as anyone knew, he was a hero. His company had been sponsoring a university, offering a scholarship to worthy students. Reading up on all the new promising applicants for that year, he came across a familiar name.

Balinor Ambrosius. 

Oh, it couldn’t be. He did some research and had a few of his men look into this one. He wanted to be absolutely sure this young man was his beloved pet reborn. The news was wonderful. The young man was indeed his pet from long ago. 

Uther smiled as he remembered looking upon the pictures his men had brought back. Uther would recognize him anywhere, even if his hair was cropped short, and he kept himself clean shaven. Balinor hadn’t changed. This was further proof that they were blessed to relieve their lives. 

His pet was much younger than he was, but that didn’t matter. He had turned eighteen that May. They couldn’t claim that he was lusting after a minor. He had been legal for years now! 

Uther gathered all the information he could on Balinor, even visiting old neighbourhoods. Supposedly the Ambrosius family had been well known, mainly for their strange son. Uther had laughed as he had heard the stories. Not only was the family hiding something, their son often spoke of the ‘past Balinor’. He would weave tales of dragons, magic, Kings, and Queens. Most of the stories were happy as he spoke of his beloved dragons, his wife, his powerful son, his daughter in law who helped save magic, and the grandchildren he once had.

Yet there were times when he went off on his own. His eyes were distant. Whenever someone asked what was wrong, he would say he was remembering the ‘bad man’ who had once been his friend, but had turned on him. Uther was pleased to hear he hadn’t been left out of these stories, even if the boy had never given a name to this bad man. 

The door to the house opened, and an older woman stood there. Uther knew from his files that this was Rowena, Balinor’s mother.

“Hello, may I help you?” she asked. Uther could tell she was already very wary, but put on a friendly smile.

“Yes, I’m here to speak with Balinor Ambrosius. Is he in?” he asked. 

Rowena must have known who Uther was, because now she looked absolutely terrified. She quickly regained her composure, taking a deep breath.

“He’s not in. He’s out right now, with his girlfriend. He’ll be home very late. Come back tomorrow,” she said quickly. 

Oh...she could have made this easy. Uther was very aware of the fact that Hunith had been reborn as well. The couple was reunited when they were fifteen, and had been inseparable since. He had been upset that the woman was back, he had been ready to kill her for touching what was his once more, but then a plan had formed. Unlike in the past, the collars he had to bind a sorcerer’s magic did only that. They were not enchanted to make the wearer obey every order they were given. If Uther was to have his pet back, he needed to give Balinor a reason to obey him. Surely the young man wouldn’t want to lose his beloved Hunith in this life as well, right? 

He sighed, quickly grabbing her as he forced his way into the house, holding a gun to her head. He kicked the door closed so no one could hear them. 

“That’s impossible, because I have the bitch tied up in my car. Where is he really?” Uther hissed. 

Rowena screamed as she was grabbed. Uther smirked as he saw people running towards them. He recognized the first man as Aldred Ambrosius, but the second…

“Hello, my pet. It’s been a very long time. I missed you. I was so upset that you hadn’t been reborn with me, but here you are! I only had to wait a few years!” Uther said. 

Balinor was clearly trembling, his eyes wide and skin pale. This was the man of his nightmares. He had seen him on the telly, pretending to be such a model citizen. Balinor had never trusted him, and told his parents as such. They believed him. 

“How did you find me?” he said softly. The uni...it had to be the uni. He didn’t know that Uther sponsored it until after he had applied, when they said that he would be a candidate the Pendragon Scholarship if he chose to attend. He had prayed Uther wouldn’t notice him...but he did.

“I think you know where,” Uther replied.

“Let her go, leave us alone. I’m not like _him_. I’m a different person now,” the boy insisted. 

Uther began to laugh. Just like Ygraine, Balinor was a fool who thought he was living a different life. Pathetic. He would learn the truth soon enough.

“Please, we are blessed with our names and memories. We are no different, we’ve just been given a chance to live again. I mourned you, mourned that I wouldn’t get to see you again, but I only needed to be patient. Once I have you and turn you into the dog you really are, I can hunt down your damn spawn and bring him home for Arthur,” Uther said. He was stalling. He had men coming through the back. He smirked as he saw their shadows along the wall and his men appear behind the father and son.

Rowena saw them too. She began to scream as one reached out to collar Balinor. Uther sneered, pulling the trigger and letting the woman’s body fall to the floor. 

His men weren’t fast enough at first. Balinor’s eyes flashed gold as he cried out in terror and grief. Uther flew back and crashed into the wall. That was the ultimate secret that the Ambrosius family had been hiding. Their son had been born with magic and had been using it since he was four. 

Luckily Leon got the collar around the man’s neck so he couldn’t use his magic any longer. Geraint quickly stabbed a needle into him, pushing down the plunger. 

Balinor stumbled as his eyes widened as the needles contents quickly took effect. A sedative. He would be completely aware of what was happening, but unable to scream or fight back. He would barely be able to move. Uther sighed as he picked up the discarded gun.

“You know, I was hoping you’d come willingly. I was going to take you away and kill your parents later. I would let you believe that they were alive and well. You would have been happier. Now you get to watch them both die,” Uther said, aiming for Aldred. The older man narrowed his teary eyes, staring him down.

“You won’t get away with this, Pendragon,” he hissed. Uther rolled his eyes, pulling the trigger.

He couldn’t help but smirk at Balinor’s attempts to fight and scream. He could barely move.

“Let’s go. We’re finished here,” Uther said, turning and leaving the house. Geraint and Leon followed him, dragging a nearly limp Balinor between them. Tears fell from the young man’s eyes as he managed to glance at the lifeless bodies of his parents. They dragged him to the car. Uther smiled. 

“There’s someone else waiting for you. I had to make sure you would cooperate,” he said, opening the door. 

Leon took Balinor, forcing him into the car so he was sitting. Balinor frowned as he bumped into someone, his head resting on the person’s shoulder. He slowly forced himself up, looking to see who it was. He paled when he did.

Uther had Hunith. She was staring at him with wide, terrified eyes, a cloth gag in her mouth. Uther laughed as he sat beside his dear pet, pulling him close. Balinor squirmed weakly, trying to get away.

“Now now, pet. I will kill her if you misbehave. Be a good dog for your master, and she will live a life of luxury with my dear Ygraine,” Uther said, tightening his grip on the young man. 

Balinor stilled. He was feeling weak and tired. The car started up and drove off. Hunith began to cry, looking away as Uther began to run his hands over Balinor’s body, telling him all he planned to make him do once he was completely submissive.

 

_When Albion’s need is greatest, the Once and Future Queen will rise again._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six months later, Gwaine discovers some familiar faces have started to disappear. Meanwhile, Uther enjoys his new pet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm taking a VERY short hiatus on all my stories just so I can finish my Merlin Holidays entry. I wanted to finish this chapter before then!
> 
> This chapter is terrible. So terrible. I thought I was bad with collars and crowns, but no...I'm worse LOL. However, this was very interesting to write, not just for the kink stuff, but going into everyone's minds and playing around with them.
> 
> Chapter warnings: Kidnapping, Drugging, dehumanization, hints of Stockholm syndrome, mentions of human testing, manipulation, sexual slavery, age difference, Humiliation, usage of sex toys, molestation, rape, Uther is a massive fucking creep, a little bit of blood play, whipping, public humiliation, public sex.

_Six months later._

Freya ran through the trees. Her lungs burned, but she couldn’t stop. Uther Pendragon was after her. He was alive in this life and unlike her, he believed that he was the same person he had been before, destined to rule over England and eradicate sorcery for good. As she ran off he had shouted something about releasing a dog, but she couldn’t hear any animal behind her. No matter, she would continue running.

The 31 year old vet knew how dangerous an animal trained to attack could be. She didn’t want to be in it’s grasp, so she ran no matter how exhausted she was. She cried out as she tripped on a root, crashing to the ground. She felt tired and heavy.

She heard someone approaching her. It was a human, not an animal. She groaned in pain, looking up at the person standing over her. It was a man. A somewhat familiar man with glowing eyes. Freya panicked, reaching a hand out to attack but found she had no access to her magic. 

“Very good, my pet,” Uther said. He began to clap as he walked towards the two sorcerers. “Now, put the collar on her.”

“Please, master...not her,” the ‘pet’ whispered. He was trembling, holding a plastic collar in his hand. Uther sneered, quickly moving forward and backhanding him. 

“I _said_ , put the collar on her,” he hissed.

The ‘pet’ yelped as he was hit. Freya could do nothing but watch the scene in front of her. The man turned, tears falling from his glowing eyes. He stepped forward, holding the collar out.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered, locking it around the woman’s neck.

Now that he was closer and she could really get a look at him, Freya recognized him. He was much younger than he was in his past life, and his hair was nowhere near as long or beard as thick, but this was Balinor.

She knew he had been reborn, of course. Everyone in England had seen the news of the missing couple. Both Hunith Barton and Balinor Ambrosius had made national headlines. They had been abducted, and in both cases there were signs of a break in. Their parents had been shot. There were some who argued that the couple killed their own parents and ran off, but the police had found no evidence suggesting that. All of their belongings remained in their houses. Hunith’s brother, Gaius, came back from America. He also agreed that his sister and her boyfriend had been abducted, citing that they would have packed their things otherwise.

Now Freya knew where Balinor had been the past six months, and she had little doubt that Hunith was with him.

Two other men came out of the trees. She recognized one of them. He had been a Knight of Camelot, the Camelot before Morgana’s reign. They grabbed Freya and lifted her up. The man she didn’t recognize injected her with something. She shuddered, feeling dizzy. They began to feel her pockets. One of them pulled out her cell phone, dropping it on the ground. 

“Take her to the car,” Uther said casually. He pushed Balinor forward. “And you...walk. You’re in trouble. You are supposed to do whatever I tell you without hesitation or argument. You know, I was going to let you see _her_ after this. You were doing such a good job. I was even going to let you wear your clothes and walk like a man. I think you need to catch five more sorcerers before I let you see her again, and you will crawl on all fours when you finally do. Do I make myself clear?” 

“Y...yes master,” Balinor said as he began to sob. 

He had been doing such a good job. He hated that he had to hunt down his own kind, but Master rewarded him when he did. He received more food, he was allowed to sleep in a proper bed, they would hold off on the tests for a day, and most important of all, Master was happy. Master promised that if he caught a certain amount, he was allowed to visit Hunith. He hadn’t seen her in nearly two months, and now he had blown his chance. 

Despite all this, he let Uther put an arm around him, leading him towards the car. Freya could only watch helplessly as she was tossed into the trunk. Balinor glanced at the doors to the car and the trunk, looking up at Uther with sad eyes. 

“Ahhh, my pet...you have to ride in the trunk. I can’t have anyone see you. They’ll take you away from me, and that would break my heart. You don’t want to break my heart, do you?” Uther said with mock sympathy. Balinor shook his head. 

“You’re such a good pet,” Uther smirked, grabbing Balinor’s chin and kissing him roughly. To Freya’s horror, Balinor kissed Uther back, though tears still fell down his cheeks. When Uther pulled away, Balinor rested his forehead on the older man’s shoulder.

“Be a good dog and get in the trunk, Balinor,” Uther ordered with a frown. 

Balinor whimpered, but crawled into the trunk. He lay down beside Freya, his back to her. Uther smiled once more.

“See? That wasn’t so hard, was it? Don’t worry, you’ll be let out soon. You may have disobeyed me, but I’ll still play with you when we get home,” he said, shutting the trunk and leaving the two in darkness.

\---

It had been over a thousand years, and there was no sign of Morgana. Merlin sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking the valley. He knew this was a good thing. It meant that Albion didn’t need her yet. Despite the plagues and wars, the land had made it through. Gwaine had gone off to fight in the wars, bringing back news of the outside world. Merlin remained with the dragons most of the time, not wanting to be separated from them.

Gwaine was leaving again. He had always been a wanderer. It had been about a decade since he last left. They only made short trips into the village for supplies these days. He could go out and explore the world, then bring back the news one day. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” 

Merlin jumped. He had been so lost in his thoughts, he hadn’t heard the man in question coming up behind him. He looked over his shoulder, smiling sadly. 

“I can’t. The eggs should be ready to hatch soon. You know they’ll need me. I’ll be here, waiting for you. Bring us back some nice things,” Merlin said.

“I always do, don’t I? Don’t get too lonely. If you need me, I’ll have my phone. I’ll get back here as quick as I can,” Gwaine said. 

“I know. The same goes for you. If you get too lonely, you know where we are. We’ll all be waiting for you,” Merlin grinned as he stood up. There was no way for Gwaine to call him in the mountains, but Merlin was more than willing to go into town and use a pay phone, despite how ancient other people claimed they were. 

“I’ll bring back gifts. Maybe I’ll find something for the little tykes. They’ll probably be hatched by the time I come back. It’ll be fun,” Gwaine said with a laugh.

“Those toys they make for dogs were popular last time,” Merlin said, referring to a recent trip into the city. They had gone into a pet store, and Gwaine had insisted that they get some of the toys for the baby dragons. It was an excellent choice, though the toys in question were quickly ripped to shreds.

“Toys it is,” Gwaine said. “We’ll see how long they last this time.” 

“Hopefully longer than the last time,” Merlin chuckled, embracing his friend. He would miss him. 

“Hopefully. You can never tell. I should go. I’ll miss ya,” Gwaine said, hugging Merlin back. 

“I’ll miss you too. Be safe, Gwaine,” Merlin grinned. 

He watched Gwaine leave before sighting and returning to the the ledge. He wondered what news his friend would bring back this time.

\---

Uther sat at his large desk, twirling his pen through his fingers. The police had already caught onto Freya Lakewood’s disappearance, and it had made the news. Thankfully, no one suspected him yet. No one had seen him, his men, or his dog.

He looked up and smirked when there was a knock at the door. Speaking of his dog…

“Come in,” he said. 

Leon opened the door and entered, holding it open for Valiant. The other man led Balinor into the room on a leash, the sorcerer crawling on his hands and knees. He was naked, save for a cock cage, and shivering, still slightly wet from the ‘bath’ they had given him. As usual, his ‘bath’ was just cold water dumped over him, and they had been outside when they did it. Autumn was coming, and there was a chill in the air. The cold water had stung. 

Uther smirked. He knew Balinor would be freezing by the time he was returned to him. He picked up a warm blanket, holding it open.

“Come here, my pet,” Uther said. 

Balinor rushed over to him the moment Valiant unclipped the leash from the collar. Uther wrapped the blanket around him. Balinor sighed happily, snuggling into the warmth. Once his pet was settled, Uther turned back to his loyal men.

“I trust the woman is being prepared?” Uther said. 

“Yes sir. She’s in the labs as we speak,” Leon said. 

“Very good. You may go,” Uther said.

Once they were alone, Uther opened the bottom drawer of his desk. He smirked as Balinor flinched back. The warlock knew what was in there. Uther rummaged through it, pulling out a large vibrator and lube. Balinor retreated further into the blanket.

“Now, now, pet. I told you that we would play when we got home. We’re home now, and you’ve had your bath. It’s time to play,” Uther said sternly, his voice laced with the threat of what would happen if Balinor continued to misbehave. 

Balinor crawled out of the blanket, hanging his head. Uther smiled, ruffling his hair like he was petting a real dog behind the ears. The sorcerer was so obedient now. Uther had broken him. 

He smiled, remembering the day he had finally captured his dear pet.

\---

Uther paced the length of his office impatiently. The moment they had arrived back, he had his men take Hunith to Ygraine, and Balinor to the labs. He only wanted the young man cleaned up and tested for any diseases. It had been three hours now. While Uther knew these things took time, he was growing impatient.

He spun around when there was a knock at the door. Finally! He went to open it himself, instead of telling the person they could enter. Leon was standing there, leading Balinor. The young man’s wrists were bound, and he was glaring at Uther with eyes full of hate. 

“He’s been tested and prepared for you, Sir. The doctors say he’s clean. You don’t have to worry about catching anything from him,” Leon said, holding out the rope that was attached to Balinor’s wrists. Uther took it.

“Thank you, Leon,” he said, dismissing the man with a nod. He pulled Balinor into the room, locking the door behind them. 

The first thing Balinor tried to do was attack Uther. He couldn’t do much, especially with his hands bound and a plug shoved up his ass, but he tried. He managed to kick Uther’s shin, glad that he often played football with his friends and he knew how to kick.

Uther yelped,yet he recovered and punched Balinor in the stomach. The sorcerer doubled over, gasping. Uther quickly made a move for the back of his knees, kicking him so he landed on them. He forced Balinor down so he was sitting.

Balinor cried out in pain and discomfort as the plug shifted inside him. Uther sneered, slapping him.

“Did you not remember what I told you in the car? If you misbehave, I can easily kill Hunith,” he hissed.

He stomped to his desk, grabbing a knife. He returned to Balinor’s side. The man was staring up at him with wide, terrified eyes. Uther smirked, running the dull side of the blade against Balinor’s cheek. 

He pulled away, starting to cut the loose shirt they had put on his pet off. He wouldn’t need it anymore. Dogs walked around naked. 

Balinor whimpered as he struggled, trying to get away from the knife, and to keep his shirt. Uther held him still, ripping the now torn fabric from his body.

The young man’s body was flawless. Uther couldn’t wait to make his mark on it. It would soon be covered in scars, just like his past body had been. Uther ran his hands over Balinor’s chest, stopping to tease the man’s nipples, grinning at the whimper the action drew.

Uther pushed Balinor back. The man fell with a crash, shouting in surprise and pain.

“Kick me, and you’ll regret it,” Uther hissed. He reached out and pulled off the medical pants, leaving Balinor completely bare.

Balinor looked away, trying to reach down and cover himself. This was terrifying and humiliating. Uther smacked his hands away. 

“No, I want to look at you,” Uther said.

Balinor’s eyes filled with tears and his cheeks were flushed. Uther sighed happily, taking Balinor’s limp cock in hand. He began to stroke it, using his other hand to play with the man’s ball sack. Balinor began to squirm, whimpering as his cock started to harden.

“Please, stop,” he pleaded. He doubted that Uther would stop, but he still held onto a little bit of hope. 

“Stop? Of course not! You belong to me now. Your body is mine, and I’m going to enjoy it,” Uther laughed, tightening his grip around Balinor’s balls. The young man’s eyes widened and he gasped. 

Uther leaned down and pressed his lips against Balinor’s. Balinor struggled against the older man. Uther squeezed Balinor’s balls once more, forcing his tongue into the younger man’s mouth when he opened it to scream. Uther moaned into the kiss, only pulling away when he needed to breathe.

Balinor was openly sobbing now, the days events finally crashing down upon him. He was a prisoner to this madman, just as he had been in his past life. His parents had been murdered, and Hunith was taken prisoner. He had been stripped of his dignity and humanity.

“Oh, my pet,” Uther cooed, stroking Balinor’s cheek. Uther leaned down once more, starting to lick up the salty tears. Balinor tried to push him away.

“You taste so sweet,” Uther said, getting off the younger man. Balinor hoped that Uther would leave him alone, but all hopes were dashed when the older man forced him up. 

Uther led his pet to his desk. He used one arm to push everything off it. As the items crashed to the floor, he slammed Balinor down. The young man began to struggle once more, his eyes wide with fear.

“No! Please! Don’t do this, please,” he begged.

“Stay down, whore. Move, and you will be punished,” Uther said. He let go of Balinor. 

Once he was satisfied the man wouldn’t be moving, he went to his desk drawer, pulling out a tube of lube and a large vibrator. He moved back to his trembling pet, growing harder at the man’s terror. He had seen the vibrator. He knew what was to come. 

Uther pulled the plug out, chuckling at the small cry the action brought forth from the man bent over his desk. He dropped it on the floor, starting to coat the vibrator in lube. Once that was done, he put some more on his finger, inserting it into Balinor’s hole. He wanted his pet to be ready for the toy. 

Balinor shuddered and whimpered. He knew Uther lusted over him, but he had hoped the man would have waited a few days before subjecting him to this particular horror. He should have known, judging by how the man had molested him in the car ride here.

Uther felt that one finger was good enough. It was just to give his pet’s hole a little bit of extra lube, after all. He had been stretched enough by the plug. He turned the vibrator on, shoving it up Balinor’s ass.

Balinor screamed, not expecting Uther to shove it in like that. Even the medical staff had been gentle when they inserted the plug. This was agony. The plug hadn’t prepared him for such an intrusion at all. Uther grinned at the scream, rubbing himself through his clothes. 

“Stop! Oh God, please, sto-aaaaaaahhhh!” Balinor screamed.

Agony mixed with pleasure as Uther moved the vibrator in and out, aiming to please. To his horror, Balinor found himself getting hard. Screams and sobs started to mix with his moans.

Uther continued to thrust the vibrator in and out, pleased his pet was getting harder. He reached down and took the young man’s cock in hand, stroking it roughly. Balinor cried out in both surprise and in pleasure. 

“I want you to come for me, pet,” Uther purred, continuing to stroke his victim.

Despite Balinor’s every wish not to, he came with a loud moan and a shudder. Uther smiled, taking his hand away and licking off the seed that had gotten on his hand. 

“I did it, now take it out! Please!” Balinor whined, clenching his fists. Uther did as the man asked. He had other plans. 

Balinor only had a moment of relief before he heard Uther taking off his pants. He paled. This torture wasn’t over. Uther was going to rape him now.

“Please, no...I’m so tired. The sedative hasn’t completely worn off yet. The vibrator hurt so much,” Balinor pleaded. His pleas were ignored as Uther lubed himself up before thrusting into the man. 

Balinor’s scream was intoxicating. He gripped Balinor’s hips as he roughly thrust into him. Once again Balinor’s screams mixed with his equally intoxicating moans. 

Uther couldn’t help himself. He leaned down and started to suck on the young man’s neck before biting down. Balinor yelped as Uther began to lick up the blood. Balinor shuddered. 

“Yes, you do taste so sweet,” Uther purred, speeding his pace. 

It wasn’t long before he came with a moan. Balinor soon followed, crying out in pleasure and horror. He slumped over the desk, panting and closing his eyes. He was so tired...he couldn’t do this anymore.

“Oh, my dear pet, you did so well,” Uther said, caressing Balinor’s cheek. Balinor was too tired to move away. Uther leaned down and gave him a peck on the cheek before pulling away and doing up his trousers. 

“You can rest now. Let me help you to your new bed.”

Balinor allowed Uther to control his moments. He was too weak to do otherwise. He cringed as he was helped down on what he recognized as a large dog bed. Uther continued to smile, putting a thick blanket over his pet’s nude form.

“There. This is your new bed. You’ll be sleeping here every night. When we are in my office and I tell you to ‘go lay down’, you will go and sit here. Do you understand?” Uther said. He frowned when there was no response. Normally he would have pulled on Balinor’s hair, but he opted for the young man’s ear for now; at least until his pet had hair to grab again. Balinor cried out in pain.

“Do you understand?” he hissed. Balinor whimpered and nodded.

“I understand,” he said. Uther let him go, his smile returning. 

“Good boy.”

Balinor waited until his new master had left the room before he covered himself with the blanket, starting to sob once more.

—-

_Three Months Later_

Master had left the keys to his apartment on the desk. Balinor knew deep down that this was probably some kind of trap, but he couldn’t help himself as he stood up and grabbed them. He knew where Master’s apartment was. Master had taken him there a month ago. Hunith had been locked in her room, but he had heard her screaming to be let out. 

Balinor put the keys down, moving back to his bed. He couldn’t go to Hunith like this. He picked up his blanket, wrapping it around his waist. It was better than being naked. Satisfied, he returned to the keys, grabbing them before he slipped out of the room.

The halls were empty. That didn’t sit well with the warlock. The halls were usually full of people at all hours of the day. Balinor had seen and heard them walking by Master’s office in the middle of the night, when he was having trouble sleeping. If they were active then, surely they would be active now. It wasn’t even dinner time.

Something was very wrong, yet he continued on. This had to be a trap, but he prayed he could at least catch a glimpse of Hunith before he was punished. It was all he wanted.

Meanwhile, Uther watched the security camera’s with a smirk. His pet had fallen for the obvious trap. He suspected that the man knew it was a trap, but was continuing on his mission anyways. Uther pulled out his phone, he had a call to make.

Balinor eventually reached the apartment. He did see some people that he had to sneak past along the way, but otherwise the path was clear. 

He knew from both experience and from the man himself that the door was always locked from the outside, unless he was home. Balinor quietly unlocked the door, praying that Master wasn’t home.

He peaked into the room. There were two people sitting on the couch. He smiled as he recognized Ygraine and Hunith. He stepped into the room, his smile fading when he realized how stiff and scared they were.

He froze in place as the door closed behind him. He was about to turn around and beg for forgiveness, when something hit him from behind. He crashed to the floor, dazed from the blow. 

He was dragged to the coffee table and his upper half was placed on it, his lower half off it. The blanket was pulled off and his legs were tied to the table’s legs with rope. Arthur moved in front of him, a sinister smile on his face. He grabbed the warlock’s hands, tying them together.

“Dad told me you were on your way. He said that I could ‘teach his stupid little whore a lesson’. Did you really believe that it would be that easy? Did you _really_ think my father was stupid enough to leave his keys out in the open? God knows how to managed to get past grade school, much less accepted into uni, with that brain of yours,” Arthur said. 

Balinor’s eyes started to fill with tears. Arthur was right. He was stupid, and he deserved to be punished. Every sign pointed towards this being a trap, yet he fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. He had just been so desperate to see Hunith again. 

Arthur turned away from him, moving to the kitchen table. He picked something up, returning to the disobedient slave. Balinor paled when he recognized the whip. He hated the whip. Sometimes, Uther would cover him in cold water before whipping him. Those were the worst days where it was complete and utter agony. 

“N...no. Please. I’m sorry, I was stupid,” Balinor pleaded. “Don’t use the whip. Please. Anything but that.”

Up until now, Hunith had been sitting on the couch, frozen in fear. Balinor had changed in the last three months. She could see that he was covered in bruises and healing scars. The moment she heard his pleas, she couldn’t take it anymore.

She got up and flung herself over his trembling body, shutting her eyes tight. 

“Get back to the couch, girl. This doesn’t concern you,” Arthur ordered.

“Don’t do this. Please don’t hurt him, can’t you see that he’s had enough?!” Hunith said as she began to sob. 

“If you don’t move, then I’ll just whip you,” Arthur threatened. 

“Hunith, please. I would rather get whipped then see you get hurt. I can take it,” Balinor said. He may have feared the whip, but he feared her in pain even more.

It was Ygraine who got up and pulled Hunith away. She held Hunith close as the young woman began to sob, trying to keep her from witnessing this event. 

Arthur was satisfied. He turned back to his victim, raising the whip in the air. Balinor shut his eyes tight, bracing himself for the agony he knew was coming. 

Arthur put all his strength into the action. Balinor screamed as the whip came down. It burned. He could sense that his fresher wounds would reopen by the end of this, if they hadn’t already. Waves of nausea came over him as Arthur began to move towards his ass and thighs. His screams died down to whimpers by the time Arthur was through. 

He thought that was it. He had been foolish enough to believe such a thing. 

Arthur put the whip back on the table, grabbing a tube of lube. He brought it back to Balinor. The young man’s eyes widened when he saw what Arthur was carrying. No...he couldn’t; he wouldn’t! Not in front of Hunith and Ygraine!

Balinor shook his head with all the strength he had left, trying to get away. His efforts were in vain. Arthur held him down, and the man was much stronger.

Balinor bit his lip as Arthur pushed two lubed up fingers into his hole. He gave up struggling. It was easier to just let it all happen. Hopefully Arthur would get this over with quickly, then he could be taken to the doctor. They would patch him up. 

“There, I think you’re ready. I’m sure you’re loose enough due to all the toys dad shoves up there,” Arthur taunted, lubing up his cock.

He grabbed Balinor’s hips, roughly thrusting in. Balinor cried out in pain, clenching his fists. His body rocked with Arthur’s thrusts, pushing him against the edge of the table. It hurt, but he could manage. His master fucked him over a desk all the time. This pain was nothing compared to the burn of the whip.

Arthur’s moans couldn’t drown out Hunith and Ygraine’s sobs. The two women were holding each other, their eyes shut tight. While they could still hear the sound of Balinor’s body against the table, and Arthur’s moans, it was still far better than having to visually witness the act. 

Arthur grabbed at the young man’s hair. It wasn’t as long as Uther wanted it, but it was thankfully starting to grow out, and one could grab and pull at it. That drew another cry from Balinor as his head was pulled back and his neck was strained. 

It was so intoxicating. Arthur had wondered if his father’s slave would be worth all the effort, and it appeared he had. He would have hated it if the young man was nothing that Uther wanted. He didn’t like to see his father disappointed. 

He thrust in a few more times before he came with a moan.

Balinor lay limp on the table. If Arthur hadn’t seen his small breaths, he would have thought the man was dead. Arthur sighed, pulling out his phone.

“Bring a stretcher to my father’s apartment. It’s for the slave,” he said when the person on the end of the last he picked up.

Balinor’s whole body was aching. He was vaguely aware of his surroundings. He knew he was in Master's apartment, and that he had just been punished. Everything else was a blur. He focused on breathing. Someone would call for the medics. The medics always came after a punishment. They would poke and prod him, but they would also make everything better in the end. 

He must have blacked out or been drugged, because when he woke up he was being placed down on his bed. He whined, curling up into a ball as a blanket was placed over him. It no longer hurt so much. He was feeling a lot better, but he was so tired. Someone caressed his cheek. 

“He will be fine, sir. He just needs to rest,” a voice said.

“Good. He deserved his punishment, but I don’t want him to die.”

Balinor recognized that voice. That was Master! He opened his eyes slightly, looking up at the man. Uther stared down at him. He didn’t smile when he saw his pet was awake. Instead, he moved his hand away.

“Did you learn your lesson, dog?” he asked.

“Yes, Master,” Balinor replied. “I was a stupid dog. I won’t do it again.”

“Good,” Uther said as he stood up. Balinor cringed. Master didn’t give him a kiss. He was _very_ angry.

Still, he said nothing as Uther left the room, locking the door behind him and shutting off the light, leaving the man in the darkness. He only curled up under his blanket, wondering how he could make it up to his master.

\---

_Present day_

Once he was checked into the hotel, Gwaine’s first stop on his journey was a newsstand. He wanted to get an idea of the current events, just in case one of the topics came up. The fact that he was buying so many different papers earned him a raised eyebrow, but he ignored it. 

He brought the papers back to his hotel room. It was better than reading them outside. He picked up the first. He began to flip through it, paling when he a familiar face

‘LOCAL VET MISSING.’

The woman in question looked exactly like Freya. Her name _was_ Freya. The dragons had spoken of reincarnation before. It was entirely possible this was the Freya he once knew. 

‘Dr. Freya Lakewood has been reported missing by her husband, Elyan Smith. He called the police after receiving a panicked phone call from her, claiming she was being followed. The police have been unable to track her. Chief Inspector Mordred Kemp has issued a statement that as of this moment, they are not investigating Mr. Smith. He and the couple’s two children are in police protection. 

Some have pointed out that this case is similar to Balinor Ambrosius and Hunith Barton’s disappearance six months ago. The police have not made a comment on the rumors as of yet.’

Gwaine had to put the paper down. There had been so many familiar names in that story. None of them were common in the first place, so he had a hard time believing it to be coincidence. Freya, Elyan, Mordred, Hunith, and the most obvious of all, Balinor Ambrosius. 

He wasn’t a sorcerer. Despite living with the most powerful sorcerer to walk the earth and his dragons, Gwaine wasn’t into any of that stuff. Sure, he respected Merlin and would gladly assist in any rituals that needed an extra set of hands, but as he had no magic himself, he never really focused on it. Merlin was always fine with this. However, even he could tell there was something very strange going on.

He had to get back to Merlin.

\---

Merlin looked up from his cooking soup when he heard the door to the small cottage opened. He smiled, turning to greet Gwaine.

“I must be really old. A year felt like an afternoon,” he said. His smile faded when he saw Gwaine’s panicked expression. “What’s wrong?”

“You need to read this.”

Gwaine held out the newspaper, open to the article. Merlin’s eyes widened as he took it and began to read.

He grew paler as he read through the article. Gwaine could guess what he was thinking. No doubt he was coming to the same conclusions that Gwaine had. It would be harder for him, since two of the missing were his parents reincarnated. He had been very close to Freya as well. 

Without a word to Gwaine, Merlin rushed out of the house. Gwaine turned the stove off before running after him.

“Aithusa!” Merlin cried. They waited for a few moments before the large white dragon landed in front of them. She gazed down with knowing eyes.

“I felt my Dragonlord return to this world eighteen years ago. I felt my princess return before then. Their souls are mostly new, but I can feel their similarities. They carry the memories of their past lives. You have found them?” she said. Merlin held up the article.

“No. Fa— Balinor has been missing for six months. He disappeared the same time as Hunith; his Hunith. Freya was just reported missing. Something is very wrong,” Merlin explained. It felt weird to call his parents by their names, even though these people weren’t actually his parents. 

“Perhaps It is time to visit the lake once more,” Aithusa suggested. “Get on my back and I will take you both there.”

Merlin and Gwaine didn’t hesitate as they climbed on Aithusa’s back. Gwaine couldn’t help but smirk slightly.

“I turned off the stove for you, by the way, so if it is time for Morgana to return, we’ll have a house for her to come back too,” he said, laughing as Merlin blushed.

“Thank you, Gwaine,” he mumbled.

—-

Aithusa took off. Merlin and Gwaine were silent. As much as Merlin wanted to see Morgana again, he knew that if she did return, it would mean Albion’s need was at its greatest.

The white dragon landed in a secluded clearing. She waited for Merlin and Gwaine to get off before she spoke.

“I will be waiting for you here.”

Merlin bowed to her before leading Gwaine away.

The spot they went to was familiar. It was where Merlin had sent Morgana’s boat carrying her body away, and where he had come to sit and contemplate over the years. 

What wasn’t familiar was the woman laying on the bank of the lake. Wet black hair concealed her face, but Merlin knew exactly who it was. His eyes filled with tears as he ran to his wife’s side. He began to check her over. 

She was cold, but she was breathing. She was younger as well, as young as she had been when they first met. While Merlin knew he would outlive her once again, he was overjoyed to know he would be able to spend the rest of her life with her. 

The Once and Future Queen had risen again. 

 

But what did that mean for Albion?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgana wakes up in a new world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a VERY short chapter, just a little bridge for what happens when Morgana wakes up. There isn't even anything I need to warn about! Amazing.

The last thing Morgana remembered was freezing cold and the fact that it was hard to breath. The next thing she knew, she was warm and cozy in front of a fire. Someone was laying next to her with their arm wrapped around her. 

She opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a small cottage, laying on some blankets by a fireplace. The person with their arm around her...oh, that was a most welcome face. She smiled as she reached out and caressed her husband’s cheek. Was this all some strange dream? If so, she never wanted to leave. After so long in the darkness, this was paradise.

Merlin’s eyes fluttered open. He smiled when he saw his beloved wife was awake. He sat up.

“I missed you so much. I’ve been waiting for you,” Merlin said. 

Morgana sat up as well, really taking a chance to observe her surroundings. The cottage was furnished, but not with anything she recognized. Her smile fell. This was not the time she was used to.

“How long has it been?” she asked. Now it was time for Merlin’s smile to fall.

“It’s been over a thousand years,” he answered.

“He hasn’t been alone. He’s had the dragons and most importantly me for company,” Gwaine said as he came into the room, carrying a tray with some water and some broth. Morgana’s expression brightened once more.

“Gwaine!” she said. “I am glad...I would have hated it if you had been all alone.”

She leaned against her husband, resting her head on Merlin’s shoulder. Merlin wrapped his arms around her, smiling. He had his Queen back. The only thing that was missing was the rest of their family.

The rest of their family.

Merlin’s smile faded again. He had to tell Morgana, but how? They were so happy. He didn’t want to break it to her right now. In the end she was the one who brought it up.

“Why am I back? There was a voice that said I was needed, but I don’t see anything wrong. I know that I was destined to return when Albion’s need is greatest,” Morgana said. As happy as the moment was, she hated being in the dark. She knew her destiny. She knew what the voice had said to her. She wouldn’t find peace unless she knew. 

She saw Gwaine tense up. She felt Merlin do the same. It only confirmed her suspicions. Something was very wrong with Albion. She pulled away from Merlin, frowning.

“Gwaine, get the newspaper,” Merlin said. Gwaine nodded, abandoning the meal that he had just finished setting up and heading back into a seperate room. He returned holding the paper, handing it to Merlin.

“Every few years, Gwaine goes out and travels around the UK. That’s what Albion is called now. He brings back news and supplies. This time, he was only gone for half a day before he came home. He brought this,” Merlin explained, opening the paper. Morgana gasped when she saw the picture of Freya.

“Is that---”

“It is. She’s come back, and she’s not the only one,” Merlin said as he began to read the article. 

As he continued on, Morgana’s eyes filled with tears. Someone was targeting sorcerers. They had to be. Judging by the way Gwaine clenched his fists and began to pace and the way Merlin’s voice cracked, they had come to the same conclusion she had.

“We need to find them,” Morgana said. She was still tired, but she could rest later. She was needed right now.

“I know, but we need to learn more first. Gwaine is going to go into town tomorrow to get more information on Hunith and Balinor’s disappearance. Hopefully, we’ll find more clues -- like who is behind all of this,” Merlin said.

“What about Mordred? Is he our Mordred? If so, he can help us. He will help us, he’s a good man,” Morgana insisted.

“I’ll look into that as well. Don’t worry, Your Highness. We’ll figure everything out. You just need to rest,” Gwaine said. 

Morgana opened her mouth to argue, but Merlin shook his head. He agreed with Gwaine. Morgana needed to rest and regain her strength before she ventured out into the world. There was little doubt in his mind that he would have to teach her about modern life as well. 

Merlin helped his wife stand, leading her to the table so she could eat. Now that she was looking at the food, Morgana’s stomach grumbled slightly. She was hungry. Something to eat would help She took the spoon and began to sip at the broth. It was filling, but light enough on her stomach that she wouldn’t become ill. 

As she ate, the room was silent. Once she was finished she began to feel drowsy again. Perhaps Merlin and Gwaine were right. She would need to rest and regain her strength. 

“Come, Morgana. I’ll take you to my -- our -- bed. It will be comfier than the floor. I only had you there because it was by the fire. You were so cold when we found you, I needed to warm you up,” Merlin explained as he helped her up and to their room.

As they moved from room to room, Morgana took the chance to observe her surroundings. Just like the first room she had found herself in, there were many things she didn’t recognize. So much had changed through the years. She was looking forward to learning all about it. 

Merlin helped her sit on the bed before going to a wardrobe and digging through it. He brought over gown and some underclothes. It looked similar to the nightclothes she used to wear.

“Here. This will be more comfortable. It’s made of different material, but it’s a nightgown. I’ve been keeping up to date with the recent fashion trends, and I’ve always kept some clothes...just in case you came back,” he said. 

Morgana smiled, taking the nightgown. She managed to stand up, starting to undress. Merlin watched her. His eyes trailed over her body. It was just as flawless as he remembered. Morgana caught his eye, smirking.

“Oh, do you like what you see?” she asked.

“I do, very much,” he grinned.

“It’s not fair that you get a show and I don’t,” Morgana pouted, slipping her clothes on.

Merlin chuckled, slowly starting to undress. Morgana sat on the bed, smirking. 

“I hope you still like what you see,” Merlin said. 

“Oh, I definitely do,” Morgana grinned as Merlin reached for his pjs. 

“Good. You’ll get to see more of it soon enough,” Merlin chuckled as he got dressed and joined his wife in the bed. 

Morgana snuggled up to her husband, feeling warm and safe under the blankets. She let sleep take her as the world around her faded away.

\---

Balinor had spent the first few months of his imprisonment without his magic. Once Uther believed he had the young man under his control once more, he had deactivated the collar. Sure enough Balinor only used his magic when his master allowed him to. The collar would be reactivated otherwise.

He had forgotten the terrible feeling of being shut off from his magic. His master had reactivated then collar once more. 

It was punishment for using his magic without permission. He had known he was going to be punished for it, but he couldn’t help himself as he made a ball of flame and formed a dragon out of it. Uther had seen it over the cameras. Now Balinor sat on his bed, without his magic, and his hands shackled together. Another chain was attached between them and his collar. 

His master was going to punish him further, but he was at peace. He had felt it when it had had happened. This hell would be over soon enough.

The Once and Future Queen has returned.


End file.
